Monday, January 18, 2010

Does this baby make my butt look big? Ha!!!!!Well, the holidays are over and looks like I had one too many cookies!! 20lbs worth of cookies to be exact.

Yes I've already gained 20lbs. Honestly I don't FEEL that heavy but the scale does not lie. The doctor said it is very typical for small women to gain a lot and given my starting weight, she would be fine as long as I came in under 40lbs!!! Whoa - mental preparation for that.

I have to say that after all the parties and running around, it feels really good to get back on a routine of healthy dinners and excercise and just a routine of daily life in general.

I really haven't been jogging because it's been chilly and drizzly here - I jog outside at the track (this comment seems absolutely ridiculous when my friend, Jeanienne, has been training for a marathon in the sub-zero temps and snow of NYC this winter... Amazing!!!). As for keeping up, I do still take my weight training class and step class - though I have toned down my exertion in the step class FOR SURE.

Also now that we've put the holidays behind us and baby bump has really made herself known... it's time to focus on our extra room and how we will accomodate the 3rd briski into our small house.

As for maternity leave I have to take 4 of the 10-12 weeks before the baby is born (10 if normal delivery, 12 if C-section). At first I thought this was an IBM rule and I was really ticked off, but apparently it is some California rule. So - I'll have some time on my hands in April!!!!!!Visit anyone?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Taking the time to reflect back on the last decade, wow, so much has happened. Well, of course it did, it was 10 years! But really thinking about it kind of blows your mind... for instance January 1, 2000 Bob and I did not know who each other was, but a tiny scheduling program at Pitt had already placed us in the same Software Engineering class.

Alas! It really wasn't that class that initially brought us together, but rather two escapades crossing streams in middle of the street in Oakland, PA. If I hadn't bartended at Fuel-n-Fuddle and Bob wasn't out with his Rugby team, who knows where Software Engineering would have really lead to. But once we hung out, we never stopped. We have almost been inseparable since we first met. I can clearly remember the first 2 weeks of our relationship like it was a couple years ago, not 10!

Thinking back prompted me to create a quick list of the top things that happened in the last decade. I asked Bob the same question over breakfast and he said he hates lists like these because you inevitably leave something out. I have to agree, althought it is nice to stop for a moment or two and just reflect. This may not be the end-all-be-all list of the "aughts" for us, but one thing is for sure... I'm so thankful that I was able to share all of it with Bob!

Meeting each other Jan 27, 2000

Graduating from Computer Engineering

Kari getting hired by IBM3A. Started IBM on the same day as Kim who I met in our intro class she would become a traveling partner and friend for life

Moving to New York

Rescuing our fuzzy Kitty, our campanion through thick and thin, who has shared our bed for the last decade

Life & times and fun friends in New York, too many to list individually

Toronto New Years 2001 (this particular night is called out because it set in motion the amazing future for our "3rd babe", Susan, which then also led to some of our most cherished friendships)

Also notable throughout the decade was being able to travel to amazing places like Tahiti, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Carribbean and Hawaii to name a few....

(1st picture ever of us at Pitt Rugby House March 2000 vs 9 1/2 yrs later

a pic of our 3rd wedding anniversary in Santa Barbara Sept 2009)

You may also notice that this list focuses on the positive notes of the last decade. That's not to say there weren't regrets or lows, there were definitely downs and defining moments of sadness like September 11th, Arlene's (Bob's mom's) car accident, Bob shattering his collar bone and the sad fact that we both lost our maternal grandparents (Grandma and Grandpap Smith and Grandma and Grandpap Kovacs).

Overall we view the last decade as a time of fun, experience, growth/maturation, luck and love. We hope at the end of the next decade we will be as lucky and happy as we are now!!